When it comes to choosing your summer suds ... Take a walk on the wild side

It’s a warm summer’s day on your patio or at the lake. You’re looking for something to quench your thirst and bring a smile to your face.

Beer has been the answer for millions of Valley residents for over a century and continues to be the No. 1 adult beverage consumed in the U.S. during the summer months.

Traditionally, we reach for something a little lighter in flavor, body and alcohol content or something that has been infused with lemon or other fruits.

Recently, that historical trend has shifted a bit as craft and micro beer have taken more prominence in the Valley beer psyche.

In fact, the number of beer options for summer enjoyment has never been higher or more diverse.

Here’s a look at six wildly different summer suds I sampled for this article:

Traditional Summer Ales

Victory Brewing Co. “Summer Love” (Pennsylvania)

A Golden Ale with German hops and pale malts beautifully blended together in harmony to create a light-bodied and refreshing ale. The hops bring an earthy touch to the flavor profile with the malts contributing to the clean and fresh body.

Anderson Valley “Summer Solstice” (California)

Slightly sweet and malty with a creamy mouth feel and flavor profile a little outside the box for summer beers. Hints of caramel and a touch of spice led lovers of this beer to dub it “cream soda for adults.” The truly unique flavor profile and superior drinkability make this beer an interesting and somewhat adventurous pick for summer enjoyment.

Crazy Ideas for

Great Summer Fun

Schofferhoffer Grapefruit Radler (Germany)

Summer Shandy has become all the rage in America over the last few summers with its lemonade-infused brewing process. The Germans were making this style of brew for summer drinking before the U.S. was a country. This beer is a traditional German Hefeweizen infused with massive amounts of pink grapefruit into the brew kettle.

Crabbies Alcoholic Ginger Beer (Scotland)

A brewing tradition that dates back to the early 1800s. This is one amazing beer that tastes almost exactly like a regular ginger ale except that the ginger flavor comes from all natural, real ginger, and they use a lot of it. If you don’t like traditional beers but are looking for something to quench your thirst and wake up your tastebuds, here’s one amazing option.

Dark Beer You Can Drink In The Summer

Kona Koko Brown (Hawaii)

This Nut Brown Ale is infused with real toasted coconut during the brewing process. Although the color is a deep mahogany, the flavor and body are decidedly lighter and definitely refreshing. Only Hawaii could bring us a beer this unique and fun!

Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout

Most of us wouldn’t think of a stout for summer, but this one is surprisingly drinkable and quite delicious. It’s medium bodied and lower in alcohol content. Brewed 100% organically with only real chocolate introduced to the fermentation tank.

I hope all of our Valley beer lovers enjoy a safe and happy summer with lots of great hops and barley.

about VALLEY VINO

Contact Brian at brian.fry@ myvalleyvino.com or by visiting www.myvalleyvino.com.